There’s More Than Meets the Eye: Homemade Microscopes — 49a — Aidan Donelan, Nicholas C. Butzin

Department of Biology and Microbiology; South Dakota State University; Brookings, SD, 57006; USA

Many K-12 schools have limited budgets for their science departments, making microscopes challenging tools to obtain, maintain, and update. Modern microscopes are often complex, expensive, and require training to be utilized. However, all microscopes are based on simple principles of light. Microscopes allow us to view objects that are too small for the naked eye at high magnifications and reveal greater details. Introducing affordable, easy-to-use microscope adaptations early in education assists in promoting comprehension of science. This is crucial for encouraging young students to pursue studies in science. Using 3D printing, we developed two microscope models: (1) a smartphone microscope, and a (2) projection microscope. (1) The phone microscope utilizes a fixed macro lens, a smartphone camera, and a 3D-printed model to view a range of specimens. We have demonstrated that students can get high-quality images of prepared slides such as tissue cross-sections, live plant and animal specimens, and local environment samples. The greatest advantage of using smartphones is that they eliminate a major barrier for new users—focusing. Focusing on samples is typically the most challenging task for new microscope users; however, smartphones can focus by simply touching the screen. Other advantages include that most students have them, that teachers’ smartphones can be utilized, and that images can be saved for later. (2) The projection microscope utilizes a laser pointer, a cover slip, and a 3D-printed model to visualize the microscopic content of a water sample. This microscope demonstrates the principles of magnification and demystifies microscopy to students because even a small drop of water can be utilized to produce significant magnification of samples. These two models offer cost-effective tools that circumnavigate the expenses of obtaining, maintaining, and updating traditional microscopes in classrooms that have low budgets while being easy to use and interactive for students.

South Dakota State University
Dr. Nicholas Butzin